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‘Gifted’ star Chris Evans not worried about being remembered as Captain America

In this March 23, 2017 photo, Chris Evans, left, and Mckenna Grace, cast members in the film "Gifted," pose for a portrait at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Gifted, which opens Friday in Toronto before expanding across Canada April 14, also stars Octavia Spencer and Jenny Slate.

Recently, Evans answered that most pressing question of all by announcing that his contract to play Captain America is up after Avengers 3 and 4 — although he’d be happy to continue if Marvel will have him.

We spoke to Chris Evans in Hollywood:

What do you wish you could fight for the way Frank fights for Mary?

“Not to turn it all political [laughs] — but I think politics is a tough arena. To try and maintain a certain amount of patience and humility and understanding and compassion. The nature of democracy is compromise, it’s messy… I think the patience behind a political career would be more than I may be able to muster.”

Is a political career something you’d consider?

“I don’t know. I think about it from time to time. It’s tough. It’s scary. I really respect anyone who’s given themselves to public service in that capacity. I truly don’t know if I have the patience or the knowledge.”

Given the themes of Gifted, was there some advice a parent or teacher gave you that you’ve carried with you since?

“I do remember, sometime in third or fourth grade, being on a school bus and watching some people make fun of a kid. And going home that night and really feeling terrible about it and being upset to my mom… She tucked me into bed, and she whispered in my ear, something along the lines of keeping your heart pure. I remember how she did it. She touched my heart. And I remember knowing, even at that tender age, that this matters. This is something important.”

Would it bother you to be forever remembered as ‘The Cap’ when you’ve done so many other interesting but smaller projects — such as The Iceman, Sunshine or Before We Go?

“It’s none of my business. My work is not for the idea of it. I do it and release it, and whatever happens, happens and I go back to living my life in a very present capacity. So the idea of it, in the future, or the reflection of it in the past, is not relevant to me. In my opinion, it’s not just a waste of time, but indulgent in the wrong thing we should be cultivating as we grow. It encourages the ego, not to get too theological about it, but to some degree, the tricky landscape of acting is that it really tempts the ego, to believe you are something more than what you are, or that somehow your work, your oeuvre, is relevant in a capacity beyond the thoughts in your head.”

Were you confidant about acting when you started out?

“It could be a cocktail of naivete mixed with confidence, but certainly at the time I didn’t have much doubt. A lot of that is from my parents, and I attribute it to the people I had all around me, telling me to go for it … Even though it wasn’t the path most people were taking, I never had sleepless nights thinking this is a mistake. Very lucky in that capacity, but again, I can’t take credit for the bravery. I didn’t know any better as a result of my parents’ support. Reflecting now, I think it was an insane choice. I didn’t realize that at the time because they never made me feel like it was a risk.”